Automatic line-clamp



R. J.'HA|GHT AND R. C. WHITEWAY.

AUTOMATIC LINE CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 22. I919- Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT (I. HAIGHT AND ROBERT C. \VHITEWAY, OF WATER/BURY, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC LINE-CLAMP.

Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

Application filed November 22, 1919. Serial No. 339,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT J. HAioH'r and Bonner C. VVHITEWAY, a citizen of the United States and a subject of Great Britain, respectively, and residents, respectivrily, of WVaterbury, in the county of New aven and State of Connecticut, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Line-Clamps, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices of that class available for adjustably connecting the opposite end-portions of a 'so-called pulley clothes-line, and exerting on one end thereof, incidentally and auto matically, a clamping effect, or for connecting corresponding end-portions of separate line, segments, such devices being welldesignated automatic line'clamps.

The object of this invention is to provide a line-clamp of the character 'above indicated, which shall be simple and inexpensive as regards its construction; durable, efiicient and reliable in practical service; convenient in its application to practical purposes; and which shall possess certain well-defined advantages over prior analogous constructions.

The invention consists in certain combinations, details and parts whereby, together with the novel disposition and relative arrangement of said parts, the attainment of the foregoing object is rendered practicable, all of which will be hereinafter more specifically referred to and set forth in the claims hereto appended.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure-1 is a top plan view of anautomatic line-clamp embodying our said improvements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section of same, as along the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the clamp, as along the dotted line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5' is a view showing in perspective and detached the line-key made use of.

Having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference-numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, we, in carrying out our present invention, make use of an elongated, tubular body 5, having a slot 5 formed therein, said slot converging forwardly and toward, and diverging rearwardly and away from, the axis of the body aforenamed, and hence extending continuously from one side of the latter to the opposite side thereof.

We further provide a line-key 5", having opposite, lateral wings 6, 6, which project into and freely operate within the slot 5; whereby movement, automatically, of said line-key forwardly and hence toward, the axis of the body 5, and rearwardly, and hence away from the axis of the body 5. is determined.

Hence, the end-portion of a line, as a socalled pulley clothes-line, or the end-portion of a separate line-segment, being strung endwise through the tubular body 5, from the advance end thereof, and caused to lie between the line-key 5" and the bottom wall of the body 5, may be dependably clamped and held against retraction through the medium of the line-key aforcnamed, upon the latter undergoing movement forwardly a proper distance, such movement forwardly on the part of said line-clamp ordinarily taking place automatically, and such clamping effect being intensified proportionately to any tendency which the line end-portion so clamped may have to retract from the grasp of said line-clamp, all as will be clearly understood.

\Ve prefer that the body 5 shall afford at its rear end an extension 6", preferably turned more or less upon itself and into the plane of the body 5, for the formation of an attaching eye 7, the latter being provided to facilitate the operation of attaching the device as a whole, as to the opposite endportion of a so-called pulley clothes-line, or the end-portion of a separate line-segment, another such line-segment being clamped within the body aforenamed, through the medium of the line-key 5", as above explained.

When deemed advisable the active face of the line-key 5 may be suitably rough ened or transversely milled, to insure an effective grasp of the line-key 5 on the line end-portion thereunder; and while any appropriate means may be availed of for obviating casual displacement of the line-key from the slot 5' wherein it operates, we purpose to contract, to this end, the mouth of said slot, as by depressing or turning inwardly somewhat, the tip 7', (see Figs. 2

purposes for which it is intended.

ther, it will be seen that the device may be and 3) of the medial section 7 which over lies in practice the line-key aforenamed, and aids, as will be observed, in the formation ofathe slot 5. V

The body 5, including its extension,the

' latter relatively narrow in width,- may b'eformed from any suitable material, as steel" in tubular form, the line-key 5 beingpreferably produced frommetal by the process of casting.

The device is markedly simple in construction, embodies no part or parts at all apt to become inoperative through casual disarrangem'ent, or otherwise, and, as will be noted,1the same is well adapted for the Furmodified toa considerable extent, particularly as regards the specific form of the unitary, sliding line-key madeuse of, the direction in which the extension 6 shall be turned,"and the manner ofsuch turning, for the formation of the attaching eye 7, the meansavailed of for retaining the line-key operatively within the slot 5", and various minor details of the general construction, without material departure'from the spirit and principle of our invention as coming within the scope of the claims hereto apthe latter inserted within said slot by way of its top, and operable therein at the opposite sides of said body for line-clamping and line-releasing purposes, and said slot being line-key,-

thereafter contracted widthwise at its top to prevent casual displacement therefrom of the line-key contained therein.

2. An automatic line-clamp comprising an elongated, tubular body having a slot formed therein at a general forward and downward inclination relatively thereto, said slotbeing continuous from either side of said body to the opposite side thereof,

and being normally open and non-contracted in width at its top; and an oppositely winged, linekey, the latter inserted within the slot aforenamed, by way of the top thereof, and slidin'gly operable therein through the medium of its opposite. wings, at the'opposite sides of said'body, for line-J clamping and line-releasing purposes, and said slot beingthereafter contracted widthwise :at'its'top to prevent casual displacement therefrom of the line-key contained therein. r r

3. An automatic line-clamp comprising an elongated, tubular body, fitted with a lineattaching medium at the rear .end thereof,

and having a slot formed therein at a general forward and downward inclination relatively thereto, said slot being continuous from either side of said body to the opposite side thereof and normally open and noncontracted in width atjits top; and a linekey, the latter having wings formed integral therewith at the opposite sides thereof, and being inserted within the slot aforenamed by way of the top thereof, and with its opposite wings slidingly operable therein at the opposite sides of said body, for lineclamping and line-releasing purposes, and said body havinga segment thereof depressed in a manner to contract said slot widthwise at the top thereof, whereby casual displacement therefrom of the line-key con tained'therein-is obviated.

ROBERT J. 'HAIGHT.

ROBERT C; WVHITE'WAY. 

